Apple tree named Griffspur

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct spur-type apple variety is provided which originated as a limb of the Griffith cultivar of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,835. The new variety consistently produces its fruit on short fruiting branches (spurs) which are shorter and much more abundant than the spurs of the Griffith cultivar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a new apple tree variety discovered as asingle limb mutation of the Griffith apple variety. The Griffith varietyis described and claimed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,835, which patent ishereby incorporated by reference. The patented parent Griffith varietyis being marketed under the Blushing Golden trademark by Stark Bro'sNurseries & Orchards Company of Louisiana, Mo. The source of the presentnew variety was a mutant limb borne on a Griffith apple tree which waslocated in an orchard owned by the originator in Union County, Ill.Specifically, the tree was located at Pt. S.E. S.W. Section 17, Range 1W. 39.55 Acres, Road Dist. 1A, Union County, Ill.

The patented parent Griffith variety was described in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 2,835 as including the following distinguishing features:

(1) A general resemblance of the fruit in shape, size and flavor to thefruit of "Golden Delicious", but which develops an earlier yellow groundcolor and acquires a distinctive and attractive pink to red blush;

(2) A later fruit maturity of about 10 days latter than the fruit of"Golden Delicious";

(3) A longer keeping quality of the fruit;

(4) A waxy appearance of the fruit skin which does not develop russet,and absence of any tendency of the fruit to shrivel in normal storage asdoes the fruit of "Golden Delicious";

(5) Good resistance to spray injury; and

(6) A richer and more acid flavor of the fruit than the fruit of "GoldenDelicious."

The present new variety has been observed to exhibit various featuresdistinct from those of the parent variety. The mutant limb of the parenttree was observed to have branches which bore fewer lateral shoots thanother limb on the tree. It was further noted that the mutant limbs wereproducing fruit buds on short fruiting spurs with greater frequency thanother limbs. Two-year-old branches produced 12 to 15 fruiting spurs perlinear foot in contrast to 9 to 11 fruiting spurs per linear foot of theparent tree. The fruit appeared as if roped or braided along the longbranch axes. In addition, the percentage of axiarlly buds which brokedormancy on the spur-type limb was distinctly higher than the percentageof buds which broke dormancy on typical limbs of the Griffith variety.The fruit bud and bud break counts are approximately 30% greater than inthe parent variety.

After observing the spur-type characteristics of the a typical limb forseveral growing seasons, the originator propagated two second generationtrees of the limb sport by grafting shoots from the mutant limb to RedDelicious seedling roots which were then planted in the originator'shome orchard located at 203 Bainbridge Street, Cobden, Ill. 69620. Thespur-type limb growth has been found to be a characteristic of all limbgrowth of these second generation trees. The trees display a strongtendency to produce abundant spurs along the axis of primary, secondary,and tertiary branches. While the propensity to form scaffold branchingis about equal in the parent tree and the sport tree of thisapplication, the sport branch angles appear to be appreciably wider thanthose of the parent, and assume angles of about 45 degrees. Nosupplemental support is required to support the fruit load in normalyears. The new variety of apple has thus been observed to be a spur limbvariant of the Griffith variety and has been named "Griffspur.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a typical specimen of two year-old shoots ofthe parent (Griffith) variety (left) and a specimen of two year-oldshoots of the present (Griffspur) variety (right).

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a limb of mature apples of the presentGriffspur variety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of the new variety in whichcolor terminology is to be accorded its ordinary dictionary significanceexcept where otherwise indicated. The specimens described were grown inCobden, Ill.

Dates of the first and last pickings: October 1 and October 6,respectively.

Tree: Medium size; moderately vigorous; upright and spreading;round-topped; moderately rapid growing; hardy; very productive; regularbearer.

Trunk.--Medium stocky; smooth.

Branches.--Medium thickness; smooth; spur-type branching. Color -- OliveBrown, Plate XL, Color No. 17'", tone M of Ridgway's Color Standards andNomenclature (hereinafter "Ridgway").

Lenticels.--Numerous; small.

Leaves.--Medium large size; medium width; medium length; ovate;taper-pointed; medium thickness; slightly rugose. Average length -- from41/4 inches to 41/2 inches. Average width -- from 21/8 inches to 21/4inches. Upper surface color -- Dirk Cress Green, Plate XXXI, Color No.29", tone M (Ridgway). Under surface color -- Lettuce Green, Plate V,Color No. 29, tone k (Ridgway).

Flowers: Late-mid bloom season, medium size, light pink.

Fruit:

Spurs.--Fat and clubbed; more than 30% greater number per linear footthan occur in the parent tree.

Maturity when described.--Hard ripe.

Size.--Uniform. Axial diameter -- 3 inches. Transverse diameter -- 23/4inches.

Form.--Truncate at base; oval.

Cavity.--Symmetrical; rounded at base; acute; undulate; pubescent towardapex. Depth -- 3/4 inch. Breadth -- 1 inch. Markings -- russeted. Color-- Tawny Olive, Plate XXXIX, Color No. 17", tone i (Ridgway).

Basin.--Symmetrical; wide flaring base, undulate, glabrous. Depth --5/16 inch. Breadth -- 7/8 inch. Markings -- none.

Stem.--Clubbed; medium slender; pubescent. Length -- from 3/4 to 1 inch.Breadth -- 1/16 inch. Markings -- russetted.

Calyx.--Closed; segments persistent; narrowly lanceolkate; acute; about1/4 inch long; approximate; converged from base toward center; pubescenton both inner and outer surfaces.

Skin.--Thick; medium tough; glossy; waxed. Dots -- obscure; many; small;even; ruptured; circular. Color of dots -- Maize Yellow, Plate IV, ColorNo. 19, tone f (Ridgway). Distribution of dots -- uniform, except fewnear basin and cavity. Ground color -- Citron Yellow, Plate XVI, ColorNo. 28, tone b (Ridgway). Color of markings -- blushed; bright. ScarletRed, Plate I, Color No. 3 (Ridgway). Bloom -- lacking. Scarfskin --lacking. General color effect -- yellow with red blush. When grown underthe same conditions, with the same exposure to light, fruit skin colorsof the parent and sport trees are indistinguishable.

Flesh.--Juicy. Color -- satiny white with yellowish tint. Texture --firm; fine; crisp. Flavor -- subacid; rich. Aroma -- distinct. Quality-- best.

Core.--Median. Bundle area -- small; narrowly ovate; symmetrical atbase; acute at base. Halves of core -- equal. Bundles -- inconspicuous.Bundle color -- yellowish tinged. Core lines -- clasping; indistinct incross section. Carpellary area -- indistinct; small. Calyx tube --glabrous toward base; apex narrowly cone-shaped; entire depth -- 1 inch.Styles -- present; united toward base; pubescent toward base. Stamens --in one basal whorl. Seed cells -- axile; closed. Cell walls -- distant;thin; tough. Length -- 3/4 inch. Breadth -- 1/4 inch. Longitudinalsection -- orbicular, obtuse at apex. Surface -- fissured; tufted.

Seeds:

Average number.--5 or 6 perfect, and 2 or 3 imperfect.

Number in one cell.--2.

Length.--3/8 inch.

Breadth.--3/16 inch.

Form.--Obtuse.

Color.--Chocolate, Plate XXVIII, Color No. 7", tone M (Ridgway).

Use: Market; dessert; excellent.

Keeping Quality: Excellent; about 210 days in ordinary storage.

Resistance to insects: Medium.

Resistance to disease: Medium.

Less time is expended in training and pruning the sport tree whencompared to the parent tree, since the branches of the new tree`Griffspur` are shorter and stronger than those of the parent tree. Morethinning is required for the sport tree than of the parent tree, becauseof a higher level of flowering and fruit set.

`Griffspur` should be cross-pollinated for good fruit set. It bloomsfairly slowly, 10 days longer than `Golden Delicious`, for example,which is advantageous when late frosts occur. `Red Delicious` is a goodpollinator for the early blossoms, and `Jonathan` and `Golden Delicious`are suitable as late pollinators.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of apple tree substantially asillustrated and described, particularly characterized by a generalresemblance of the fruit in shape, size, and flavor to the fruit of"Golden Delicious" but which develops an earlier yellow ground color andacquires a distinctive red blush, which has a fruit maturity of about 10days later than the fruit of "Golden Delicious" and a longer keepingquality of the fruit, and when has good resistance to spray injury and aricher and more acid flavor than "Golden Delicious," the variety furthercharacterized by more abundant, shorter spur-type fruiting branches thanits parent variety described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,835.